The Overberg interior and the Whale Coast

East of the Winelands lies a vaguely defined region known as the Overberg (Afrikaans for “over the mountain”). In the seventeenth century, when Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl were remote outposts, everywhere beyond them was, to the Dutch settlers, a fuzzy hinterland drifting off into the arid sands of the Karoo.

Of the two main routes through the Overberg, the N2 strikes out across the interior, a four- to five-hour stretch of sheep, wheat and mountains. North of the N2 is Greyton, a charming, oak-lined village used by Capetonians as a relaxing weekend retreat, and the starting point of the Boesmanskloof Traverse – a terrific two-day trail across the mountains into the Karoo. The historic Moravian mission station of Genadendal, ten minutes down the road from Greyton, has a strange Afro-Germanic ambience that offers a couple of hours’ pleasant strolling. Swellendam, with its well-preserved streetscape with serene Cape Dutch buildings and superb country museum, is favoured for the first night’s stop on a Garden Route tour.

The real draw of the area is the Whale Coast, close enough for an easy outing from Cape Town, yet surprisingly undeveloped. The exception is popular Hermanus, which owes its fame to its status as the whale-watching capital of South Africa. The whole of this southern Cape coast is, in fact, prime territory for land-based whale-watching. Also along this section of coast is Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point on the continent, where rocks peter into the ocean. Nearby, and more exclusive, is Arniston, one of the best-preserved fishing villages in the country, and a little to its east the De Hoop Nature Reserve, an exciting wilderness of bleached dunes, craggy coast and more whales.

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De Hoop Nature Reserve

De Hoop is the wilderness highlight of the Western Cape and one of the best places in the world for land-based whale-watching from July to October, with the greatest numbers of whales to be seen in August and September. There’s no need to take a boat or use binoculars; in season you’ll see whales blowing or breaching – leaping clear of the water – or perhaps slapping a giant tail. Although the reserve could technically be done as a day-trip from Agulhas, Arniston or Swellendam, you’ll find it far more rewarding to come here for a night or more. The Whale Trail hike is one of South Africa’s best walks and among the finest wildlife experiences in the world (6 days; 54km).

The breathtaking coastline is edged by bleached sand dunes standing 90m high in places, and rocky formations that at one point open to the sea in a massive craggy arch. The flora and fauna are impressive, too, encompassing 86 species of mammal, 260 different birds and 1500 varieties of plants. Inland, rare Cape mountain zebra, bontebok and other antelope congregate on a plain near the reserve accommodation.

The Boesmanskloof Traverse

The 14km Boesmanskloof Traverse takes you from the gentle, oak-lined streets of Greyton across the Riviersonderend mountain range to the glaring Karoo scrubland around the town of McGregor. No direct roads connect the two towns; to drive from one to the other involves a circuitous two-hour journey.

The classic way to cover the Traverse is to walk from Greyton to Die Galg (14km from McGregor), where people commonly spend the night, returning the same way to Greyton the following day. The Traverse rises and falls a fair bit, so you’ll have to contend with a lot of strenuous uphill walking. If you’re based in Greyton and don’t want to do the whole thing, walk to Oak Falls, 9km from Greyton, and back. Composed of a series of cascades, it’s the highlight of the route, its most impressive feature being a large pool where you can rest and swim in cola-coloured water.

You’re free to walk the first 5km of the trail and back, but to walk to Oak Falls or Die Galg, or to complete the whole route from Greyton to Die Galg, you will need a permit (R35 per person per day), booked in advance from the Greyton tourist information office.

Southern Cape whale-watching

The Southern Cape, including Cape Town, provides some of the easiest and best places in the world for whale-watching. You don’t need to take a pricey boat tour to get out to sea; if you come at the right time of year, whales are easily visible from the shore, although a good pair of binoculars will come in useful.

All nine of the great whale species of the southern hemisphere pass by South Africa’s shores, but the most commonly seen are southern right whales (their name derives from being the “right” one to kill because of their high oil and bone yields and the fact that, conveniently, they float when dead). Southern right whales are black and easily recognized from their pale, brownish callosities. These unappealing patches of raised, roughened skin on their snouts and heads have a distinct pattern on each animal, which helps scientists keep track of them.

Female whales come inshore to calve in sheltered bays, and stay to nurse their young for up to three months. July to October is the best time to see them, although they start appearing in June and some stay around until December. When the calves are big enough, the whales head off south again, to colder, stormy waters, where they feed on enormous quantities of plankton, making up for the nursing months when the females don’t eat at all. Though you’re most likely to see females and young, you may see males early in the season boisterously flopping about the females, though they neither help rear the calves nor form lasting bonds with females.

What gives away the presence of a whale is the blow or spout, a tall smoky plume which disperses after a few seconds and is actually the whale breathing out before it surfaces. If luck is on your side, you may see whales breaching – the movement when they thrust high out of the water and fall back with a great splash.

The Whale Coast’s hottest whale spots

In Hermanus, the best vantage points are the concrete cliff paths which ring the rocky shore from New Harbour to Grotto Beach. There are interpretation boards at three of the popular vantage points (Gearing’s Point, Die Gang and Bientang’s Cave). At their worst, the paths can be lined two or three deep with people.

Aficionados claim that De Kelders, some 39km east of Hermanus, is even better, while De Hoop Nature Reserve, east of Arniston, is reckoned by some to be the ultimate place along the entire Southern African coast.

Several operators offer boat trips from Hermanus; they’re all essentially the same, so your choice of whom to go with will depend more on the time and day than the reliability of the operator.